You can run a free dedicated The Forest server by installing Endnight’s dedicated-server tool on your own Windows PC. The software itself has no rental fee: install it from Steam’s Library > Tools section (or with SteamCMD), configure a server, and forward the required ports. You still provide the computer, electricity, broadband connection, router access and ongoing maintenance.
Prefer not to run the server on your own PC? Godlike.Host offers hosted The Forest servers with free DDoS protection and up to three free backups a day.
This is self-hosting, not a free cloud service. Your friends can connect while the host computer and home internet remain available. Endnight introduced dedicated servers as an experimental feature, so peer-to-peer hosting may still be the simpler choice for a small group when a dedicated server is unreliable.
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What “free” means for a Forest server
Steam distributes the dedicated-server software at no charge. SteamDB lists the Windows server application as App 556450 and marks it “FreeToDownload: Yes.” Its Windows depot is approximately 1.07 GiB to download and 1.58 GiB after installation, according to SteamDB data accessed in 2026.
Those figures cover only the software. A zero-rental-cost server still consumes:
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- A Windows computer that can stay on while people play.
- Electricity and cooling for that computer.
- An internet connection with router access.
- Time for configuration, backups, updates and troubleshooting.
- Inbound network access through your router and operating-system firewall.
If your computer is shut down, your home connection is offline, or your router blocks the forwarded ports, the server will not be available. No evidence establishes a current free tier from a commercial game-server host, so do not assume a hosted alternative is free.
Before you install: requirements and trade-offs
Use a Windows host
The documented tool and SteamDB listing identify Windows support. The available evidence does not establish official Linux compatibility, so this guide does not promise that a Linux installation will work. Use a Windows PC unless the installed build’s own documentation explicitly adds another platform.
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A dedicated process is useful when the owner wants the world available without keeping a player’s game session open. It also creates extra work: router configuration, firewall rules, save management and version matching. Endnight’s April 17, 2017 V0.59 notes described the feature as a “first pass” that was “highly experimental” and recommended peer-to-peer play for most players while issues were being fixed.
Plan storage and a save location
Reserve at least the server software’s approximately 1.58 GiB installed footprint, plus room for saves, logs and future updates. Choose a save slot deliberately: starting a new world and continuing an existing one are separate configuration choices.
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Install The Forest Dedicated Server from Steam
- Open the Steam client and select Library.
- Open the library’s filter or type selector and switch from Games to Tools.
- Find The Forest Dedicated Server and choose Install.
- Let Steam finish downloading the tool before launching it. The installed files, rather than the game’s normal play shortcut, are what run the dedicated process.
The dedicated-server application is separate from the regular game installation. Keep both installations available if you also play locally, because updates to the game and updates to the server tool may need to be applied independently.
Install with SteamCMD instead of the Steam client
SteamCMD is an alternative for a machine where you do not want to run the full Steam interface. SteamDB identifies the dedicated-server application as App ID 556450; the regular game is identified as App ID 242760. Select the dedicated-server app, not the game app, when installing.
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A typical SteamCMD workflow is:
- Install SteamCMD from Valve’s current distribution for your Windows system.
- Start SteamCMD and sign in using the account method accepted by the current tool.
- Use SteamCMD’s app-update command for App ID 556450, optionally including validation, then wait for the download to complete.
- Exit SteamCMD and locate the directory into which the dedicated-server files were installed.
SteamCMD syntax and authentication behavior can change. If a command is rejected, use the SteamCMD help output and the current server-tool instructions rather than assuming a historical command is still valid.
Launch the dedicated server
Run it interactively first
Start the server executable directly from its installation directory, or create a shortcut to it. Launching it interactively lets you see startup messages and configuration errors before you put it in the background.
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Use batch mode for a background process
The setup documentation supports the -batchmode launch option. This is appropriate when the server should run without an interactive window, such as on a spare PC. Test without batch mode first; otherwise an invalid setting can fail without an obvious visible window.
Keep the process separate from the game client
The dedicated server is its own process. Running it on the same PC as the game may work only if that computer has enough spare resources, but the supplied documentation does not establish a universal hardware requirement or guaranteed player capacity. The historical tutorial uses a maximum of eight players as an example; treat eight as a documented example, not a promise for every build or computer.
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Endnight’s April 18, 2017 notes state: “For your launched dedicated server to work, a valid configuration is mandatory, default setup will not work.” Do not expect the executable’s untouched defaults to produce a joinable world.
The tool can use command-line parameters or a generated Server.cfg. The exact parameter spelling can vary by build, so compare your installed file and current startup output with the labels below.
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| Setting | Purpose | Decision to make |
|---|---|---|
| Server name | Text shown in the dedicated-server browser | Use a distinctive name your friends can recognize. |
| Maximum players | Caps simultaneous players | The historical tutorial demonstrates eight; do not treat that example as a current guaranteed limit. |
| Password | Restricts access to people who know the password | Use a unique password and share it privately. |
| Difficulty | Selects the world’s difficulty setting | Choose before creating or continuing the save. |
initType |
Determines whether the server starts a new world or continues one | Use New for a fresh world or Continue for an existing save, using the capitalization accepted by your build. |
| Save slot | Selects which world data the server opens | Match the slot to the save you intend to host. |
| Autosave interval | Controls how often the server writes progress | Choose an interval that limits lost progress without creating unnecessary write activity. |
| Logging | Controls diagnostic output | Keep logging enabled while troubleshooting; retain logs only as long as useful. |
After editing the configuration, stop and relaunch the server. Read the startup output for a configuration error before asking friends to connect.
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Open the required network ports
The historical Steam Community dedicated-server tutorial identifies three ports: 8766 for Steam, 27015 for game traffic and 27016 for query traffic. Forward and allow each port for both TCP and UDP as the tutorial specifies.
- Give the Windows host a stable address on your home network, using your router’s address-reservation feature if available.
- In the router’s port-forwarding page, create rules for TCP and UDP 8766, 27015 and 27016, sending them to the host PC’s local address.
- In Windows Firewall, create inbound allow rules for the server executable or for the same TCP and UDP ports.
- Save the router configuration and restart the server process.
Router interfaces use different labels, so the menu may be called Port Forwarding, NAT, Virtual Server or a similar term. Forwarding a port to the wrong local address is a common reason a server appears to be offline. Port forwarding also exposes a service on your home connection; allow only the required ports and keep the server software updated.
Make the server visible in the browser
The setup guide says to create a server ID through Steam Game Server Account Management. That process supplies a login token for the server.
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- Open Steam Game Server Account Management and create the server ID requested for the dedicated server.
- Copy the resulting login token exactly.
- Put the token in the
serverSteamAccountconfiguration field or the corresponding launch parameter supported by your build. - Restart the server and inspect the log for registration or authentication errors.
Never publish or share the token. It identifies the server account and should be treated as a secret. If you replace the token, remove the old value from scripts, shortcuts and configuration backups.
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- Start the dedicated server and wait until its log indicates that startup and registration have completed.
- Have friends open The Forest and choose the in-game dedicated-server browser.
- Search for the server name you configured.
- Enter the password if one is configured, then join.
If the listing is not visible, do not immediately create a second world. Work through the configuration, token, firewall and port checks below first.
Keep the game and server versions aligned
Endnight’s notes warn that updates can require updating and restarting the dedicated-server tool. A version check can reject a mismatched server. Apply updates to the game and the dedicated-server installation, then restart the server before inviting players back.
- Stop the running server cleanly.
- Update the dedicated-server tool through Steam or SteamCMD.
- Update the game clients your friends use.
- Start the server again and check its log for version or configuration errors.
- Only then test a connection and resume normal play.
Keep a copy of your configuration and saves before a major update. A backup lets you restore the previous world if a new build changes behavior.
Troubleshoot the most common failures
The server starts but is not listed
- Confirm that a valid configuration exists; Endnight explicitly says the default setup will not work.
- Check that the server name and other settings are in the generated
Server.cfgor launch parameters actually used by the shortcut. - Verify that the Steam server token is present in
serverSteamAccountand has not been truncated. - Recheck TCP and UDP forwarding for 8766, 27015 and 27016, and confirm the rules point to the host PC’s current local address.
- Read the startup log for authentication, query-port or version errors.
Friends see the name but cannot connect
- Confirm the Windows Firewall rule allows the executable or all six protocol-and-port combinations.
- Make sure the router forwards to the same PC that is running the server.
- Check that the server is not paused, closed or running an older build than the clients.
- Test with the password temporarily removed only if you trust the network and want to isolate authentication from connectivity; restore the password afterward.
The server opens the wrong world
- Check
initType:Newcreates a new world, whileContinueis intended for an existing one. - Verify the selected save slot.
- Stop the server before changing save settings, then restart and read the log to confirm the selected world.
An update causes rejection or startup errors
- Update and restart the dedicated-server tool.
- Update every player’s game client.
- Compare the current generated configuration with your older backup; historical parameter names and behavior may not match a newer build.
- If the build still fails, remove only the setting identified by the log, test, and re-add it using the current configuration format.
Self-hosting versus renting a server
Self-hosting removes the monthly game-server rental charge but transfers responsibility to you. A rented server may be easier for groups that need availability while the owner’s home connection is offline, but current prices, free tiers and uptime were not established in the available evidence.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems| Consideration | Self-hosted dedicated server | Rented server |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront monthly cost | No dedicated-server rental fee; you pay for your existing PC, electricity and internet. | Price depends on the provider and plan; no current figure is established here. |
| Control over saves and settings | Direct access to configuration, save slots, logs and backups. | Usually controlled through a provider panel and its available tools. |
| Setup effort | Install software, create a valid configuration, forward ports, create a server ID and maintain updates. | Usually less network setup, but you learn the provider’s control panel. |
| Always-on computer | Required if friends must join when you are away. | Included in the service arrangement. |
| Home-network exposure | Requires inbound TCP and UDP rules for 8766, 27015 and 27016. | Ports are handled on the provider’s infrastructure. |
| Updates and backups | Your responsibility; back up saves and update the tool with the game. | Shared with or delegated to the provider, depending on its controls. |
| Availability during a home outage | Unavailable when the host PC or home connection is down. | Depends on the provider’s service and your ability to reach it. |
Safe operating practices
- Use a non-obvious server password and share it only with the intended group.
- Keep the server token private; do not paste it into public chats, screenshots or bug reports.
- Back up saves and
Server.cfgbefore changing difficulty, save selection or update settings. - Keep Windows, the game and the dedicated-server tool updated, especially after an official patch.
- Close the server cleanly before moving or restoring save files.
- Review logs after every configuration change so an unnoticed error does not create a blank or inaccessible world.
What to expect from this free setup
The supported, evidenced route is straightforward in principle: Steam supplies a free Windows server tool, and you supply the host environment. The historical documentation proves the required configuration and ports, while Endnight’s own release notes establish that the original implementation was experimental and could require updates alongside game patches. Treat the eight-player value in the old tutorial as an example, not a current guarantee, and verify parameter behavior against the build installed on your PC.
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